BA will shortly announce a complete overhaul of BA CitiExpress, which operates flights to Europe from Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh.
The full article is available below, but to sum up:
*British Airways will next week launch a major challenge to the no-frills carriers with a radical overhaul of its regional network, which will see fares to Europe slashed to as little as £25 one-way.

*In a significant strategic move by new chief executive Willie Walsh, the airline will rebrand its loss-making BA CitiExpress network, flying from 14 UK regional airports, and introduce a single-class cabin throughout the aircraft.

*The Club Europe cabin for business travellers will be axed on all short-haul European flights to and from BA's regional airports. Only European flights to and from Heathrow and Gatwick will retain the more upmarket Club Europe cabin. BA will continue serving food on all flights.

Wish BA had kept the A319's at BHX and the 737's at MAN, I hated
flying on the 146's when I lived in the UK. Anyway with some of the
146's going to Swiss how will they cover the gap?
Good Luck to BA anyway!

I understand that the Dash 8's have had their leases extended, so will be around for a while yet.

Quoting Summa767 (Reply 6):I think that this is a good strategy. Put more seats on the planes by axing club, and hopefully the losses will turn into profits (however modest).

But if the overheads are still high (mixed, LCC-unfriendly fleet, no staff cutbacks) I still don't see the full picture on how the operation will become profitable. If they are losing a reported £30M per year with CitiExpress, then it is going to take a huge upturn in passenger numbers to offset this, together with having to operate a fleet which is not suited to low-cost operations, plus the loss of premium passengers. I want it to work, but I just can't see how it adds up with the information provided so far.

Lets wait for the announcement before we comment too much here. Sounds like BA is moving in the right direction with CitiExpress, and it's got to be better than any move which would threaten the rump of the regional operation. Although the Telegraph article doesn't mention it maybe something will be announced about fleet simplification. I'm sure Walsh, who saw the introduction of the A320s at EI and a move to a single class operation there, might look at simplfying the fleet around two types, say the ERJ-145s and something like the ERJ-170 or ERJ-190.

Two things I'll be interested to see when we get the full announcement. Firstly, what will happen to LCY, where there must surely be a demand for Club Europe, and which is operated by CitiExpress? Secondly, is GB Airways to maintain Club Europe on its routes from MAN with the A320s, or will it follow the CitiExpress lead and only offer Euro Traveller?

It seems a good idea but as we saw with Independence Air RJs have high seat per mile costs. There are also legacy factors to be taken into account. BA is swamped by union agreements made decades ago which mean it could never cut it's costs to that of the likes of easyjet without firing every staff member and starting again.

Terraces lounge would still be available for passengers on the MAN-JFK flight (Plus AA's MAN-ORD), as well as passengers travelling down to LHR or LGW to connect onto Club and First flights. Add on the Gold and Silver Executive Club members and still a use for the lounge.

LH, AF, KL, OK, SN, LX, AZ, SK...! Give BA the big FO!! I shan;t be using them for much if they scrap Club Europe, as it is I pay nearly £300 for an economy return to Belfast, and I was disgusted to receive no hot drinks and a Special K cereal bar last week on an early flight! Disgusting!

LH, AF, KL, OK, SN, LX, AZ, SK...! Give BA the big FO!! I shan;t be using them for much if they scrap Club Europe, as it is I pay nearly £300 for an economy return to Belfast, and I was disgusted to receive no hot drinks and a Special K cereal bar last week on an early flight! Disgusting!

BHX has a great terraces lounge now to be closed?OR let the airport run it like MAN at terminal 2?? My clients like to pay for the extra baggage and large carry on not just the seats and meals..and flexibility so who will take it over Monarch

I think this sounds like a good move. Better fares from BHX to Europe would encourage me to fly BA much more often than my travel budget allows at their current fares.

In my experience (BHX-STR), the Club Europe cabin is invariably empty and more often than not, Y loads seem to struggle to reach 50%. I don't know whether this is representative of the other BHX routes, of course.

Quoting Fbgdavidson (Reply 22):Can't see the sense in scrapping CE. The extra revenue gained from even a handful of seats with minimal extra operating cost for the airline would surely make it wortwhile keeping.

I'd have thought so, too. Considering the fares in CE for MAN-DUS were more than twice what I paid in Y, when all you get extra on the flight is a little more food! OK, so you get Terraces access as well, but as the lounge is open anyway it costs BA no more for an extra passenger other than a few coffee's, biscuits and snacks.

No trees were harmed by this message. However, several million electrons were terribly inconvenienced

Rumour on PPRUNE that aicraft operating for BA CitiExpress will get a new livery!
Apparently all staff have been given a postcard from the Managing Director which has a picture of a gift-wrapped BAe145 with the words "all will be revealed".
New name and new livery on the way I think.

25 PM
: New planes too, by the sound of it. Can't wait to see a BAe 145!